The IDF on Sunday published the findings of the inquiry into the battle at the Erez Border Crossing and the Erez District Coordination and Liaison (DCL) on the morning of October 7th, 2023, in which nine soldiers fell and three others were taken captive. The inquiry, which was led by Colonel Gidi Kfir-el and his team, was presented to the bereaved families and those who served in the camp by former Southern Command Commanding Officer Yaron Finkelman. The central conclusion of the inquiry was that the IDF did not meet its objective to protect the crossing. In the first stage, 20 Nukhba Force terrorists infiltrated the base, and later, another 100 terrorists joined them, carrying out acts of murder, looting, and abduction. The Erez Crossing included several areas: a vehicular crossing, a pedestrian crossing (the terminal), the Erez DCL Camp, and the surveillance balloon compound. On the evening before the attack, the 7th Brigade's 77th Battallion Combat Team was responsible for the facility, and at 5:30 a.m., the "Ready at Dawn" protocol was declared. When the heavy missile fire from Gaza began at 6:29 a.m., terrorists were identified moving toward the crossing. The response platoon, which was sent to the point where the terrorists infiltrated from, was quickly called back to the camp. The stages of the battle: At 6:41 a.m., the terrorists breached the fence and infiltrated Israeli territory, spreading out through the terminal and vehicular crossing. At 6:55, the terrorists attempted to breach the fence of the camp using an explosive device but failed. At 7:00, the terrorists detonated the main gate, entered the camp, and split up to several areas. At 7:20, the fierce combat began inside the camp. IDF soldiers managed to eliminate several terrorists while the Air Force struck enemy vehicles on the border. At 9:00, the soldiers were instructed to enter the shelters, but because of that, the platoon commander on the ground did not see his soldiers and concluded that the camp was lost. At 10:30 a.m., a second wave of approximately 100 terrorists arrived, breaking into the camp, looting and burning it. Only at 11:00 p.m. did IDF forces regain control of the camp. The conclusions of the inquiry: The inquiry found that there were severe failures in several areas. Gaps in transitioning between modes: The soldiers' ability to go from defense to combat was insufficient. Limited fighting force: The number of forces that were assigned did not fit the threat. Command and control failures: Combat management was poor, the forces were commanded via telephone, and soldiers had to act independently. Lack of artillery support: There was no artillery force in the area to assist the troops. Readiness failures: Missile fire was not seen as a warning sign, and a soldier in the area did not have a gun. All this being said, the inquiry singled out the 77th Battalion commander's decision to prioritize the defense of the communities of the Erez Camp for praise.
